另类小说人亚洲小说

Chapter 10

A Chat With Clan Cloverhoof

Eihtfuhr and Gataro exchanged several greetings before settling on a language they both spoke well.

“This is the language of the River Delta peoples, called by some the Grots or the Groats.”

Gataro was most insistent that we travel to the camp of his people, not more than half a day away. With Eihtfuhr out of sorts and short on sleep, you can imagine the sort of discussion that led to. The Grots must have some pretty flexible bodies, for some of the postures mentioned.

But, in the end, we ended up headed toward his camp at high speed, me clinging to a blanket Gataro had tied onto his back for dear life.

.....

I didn’t see much; when I opened my eyes, the world pitched and yawed like the stormy ocean.

I was glad for two reasons when we stopped. First, I had managed not to urinate on Gataro’s back. Secondly, although I did have to relieve myself right then and there, there was no blood or other unusual fluids mixed in with my urine.

My balance was off, and I wobbled, but did not fall.

Clan Cloverhoof numbered perhaps three dozen tents of various sizes, but no more than twice that many people, with perhaps that many youths of various ages.

Clothing seemed optional amongst them, the chief exception being that the women seemed to enjoy brightly colored and intricately decorated blankets, long enough to hide their teats from human view.

(I am told there exist breeds or species of centaur where the humanoid torso either bears the breasts also or exclusively, but at the time of writing this record, I have seen no such beings with my own eyes.)

Several women, who seemed the more numerous gender, apparently shared a single male for performing their more rigorous tasks. Having seen this, it was no surprise to me that the wives of a particularly heroic-looking centaur shared the chieftain-duties of the tribe.

Their blankets were of fine cloth and exquisite detail. About their necks and waists they wore gemstone studded silver. Headdresses of varying nature but unvarying quality adorned their heads.

I didn’t understand what they said to their male, but gathered that his name was Palomer. He set before us a loaf of dark brown bread, and bowls of water.

“Ugh. Plant matter.” Said Eihtfuhr. “The sort of thing that food eats. Break me off as small a piece as you can.”

After making sure Eihtfuhr was okay with it, I wolfed down the rest of the bread and gulped down mouthfuls of the water. In retrospect, it was excellent bread and deserved better treatment, but our hostesses seemed pleased.

“Stay awake.” Said Eihtfuhr, nudging me. “You do not wish to upset our hostesses.”

And they were watching us closely, if somewhat discreetly. At many points in the conversation, they discussed among themselves in some language that Eihtfuhr says he did not understand.

It was excruciating for me, but I kept myself amused and alert by noticing more and more details. Who had the curliest mane? Who spoke most often? What body language did our hosts exhibit?

And then, it was dusk. Palomer led us to the side of camp nearest the setting sun and bid us politely to get lost.

Eihtfuhr set a pace that strained my recovery methods.

“Are we in some manner of hurry?”

“I believe they will begin hunting us as allies of the goblinoids in the morning.”

“Oh.” I said, and sped my pace slightly.

We made a point of journeying along the edge of the wood, entering around morning after crossing the river to the wild side of the forest. We cut as close as Eihtfuhr felt comfortable to the Satyr’s home camp, then across the river again into Eihtfuhr’s territory.

“What traps do you have?”

“None.” I admitted.

He had some choice words about that. “Can you at least get a few pits in this area? Covered, and with stakes?”

I yawned, but admitted that I could. I even arranged the pits in such a way as to encourage any pursuers down toward a muddy pool that I knew had an underwater pit used by a crocodile.

Eihtfuhr had nets and ropes and all manner of traps.

“I think that’s the best we’re getting with what we have. Get some sleep, and I’ll watch for the centaurs to pass. If you’ve a god you pray to, now is the time.”

“Who do the Children pray to?”

“Anansi the trickster, but he never answered my prayers.”

I said a quick prayer to Anansi on his behalf, and fell asleep.

#

“Ah, whose is this new face that I am looking at?” I knew I was dreaming; it was like an ink-black version Eihtfuhr.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Did I not ask first?”

“Very well, my name is Rhishisikk.”

“Well now, Rhishisikk, how would you like to make a bargain?”

“What is your name?”

“Did I not ask first? Am I not entitled to ask all my questions before answering yours? Do you not think you are being rude to your elders?”

“No, no, and no, in that order. I’ll go back to dreaming normally now.”

He threw a single sticky line at me. “Is that what you think is going to happen here?”

I ripped myself away, using my dream mana to sever not the line of silk, but my own scales where it had touched.

“Wait, come back, you can still make a deal.”

“No thanks.” I said, and woke up.

So. Tired. I puttered around a bit, ate some acorns, and fell asleep well away from my first zone.

And I dreamed of not-Eihtfuhr.

“Hello, little one. You are not one I would have expected to pray to me.”

“And who are you?”

“I am Anansi, God of Spiders, God of Tricksters.”

“No you’re not.”

There were flickers of red and blue among his coat of brown. “Well that is quite a statement, if true.”

“Anansi has better things to do that come talk to some newborn like me.”

It was like the amusement I felt from Eihtfuhr, but it filled the world, came at me from all directions.

“Clever, clever. I can see there is no tricking you. But perhaps you won’t hold it against me if I try anyway?”

“I don’t know, but I think it likely that I will.”

His laugh was long and cruel. “As you would have it, then. I am Melraniki, a – conduit, if you will. A spirit sworn to the service of Anansi, who sometimes receives prayers from the mortal world. And sometimes, I may choose to answer them.”

“And why are you answering my prayer, in particular?”

“Oh, for three reasons. First, you are not of the Children, yet you pray for one. That makes your prayer unusual. Secondly, you have a great deal of power for one of your age, that means that negotiations we have contain promise. And third – you are of an ancient bloodline, with a destiny to rule the world.”

“So in other words, for two reasons.”

“Very well, the third reason is simply that I am bored. So, what is it that you offer? What is it that you want?”

“I want for my friend, Eihtfuhr, to survive an upcoming battle.”

I knew enough of Eihtfuhr to realize that Melraniki had become angry. “Not all of Anansi’s Children prove worthy of his grace. That heretic has no rights here, among the faithful. We cannot do business with you at this time.”

And then I was awake again. Well, whatever that was about, I would probably never learn.

I saw Eihtfuhr approaching this time. It looked like he was totally foregoing stealth in favor of speed.

“They have arrived, and are following our trail with great speed.”

“Are you expecting the Satyr to oppose them?”

“It depends how drunk or hung over he is.” Eihtfuhr admitted. He began checking traps.

“What is our plan?” I asked.

“I saw four of them, a male and three females. All had bows, all had spears, all had axes. YOU have only twenty health points. You should stay entirely away from this conflict.”

I considered how to rephrase my question when he spoke again.

“You can’t even kill a single goblin. What help can you be against four trained warriors?”

“I don’t know.” I admitted. “Wait, yes I can.” I began sweeping my tail from side to side, wildly knocking aside leaves.

“Ugh. Die then, if you will not leave.”

“Oh, I’m leaving.” I said. “And, I’m going to leave this obvious trail right down to the pond.”

.....

“That is ... most clever.”

“So what is your plan?”

“Oh, I’m going to see how many of them fall into pits, or end up in nets, or possibly suspended in nets hanging from trees. And then, then I shall attempt to have calm little chat with these representatives from Clan Cloverhoof.”

#