[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

 Not much. She still glared.  And I can forage and keep myself alive in the wilderness.
 Now, I can do that. Bardon smiled, trying to get past her anger.  I m sure we will be very useful to
each other as we trek across Amara.
 I know medicinal plants and how to use them.
 I only know a few of the most common ones.
N Rae relaxed a bit at that remark.  I can hide, and I can track.
 Again, very useful.
 Are you patronizing me? Mother always said patronizing the ropma was rude, even if they were like little
children.
 Not in the least. It s good to know in which areas I will be able to depend on you.
She studied his face for a moment, as if trying to read his true feelings. Bardon s years of keeping his
expression neutral served him well with this prickly young emerlindian.
She looked away.  And I have very acute hearing.
 Probably developed by conversing with Mistress Seeno.
Her head whipped back so she could see his face. After only a glance, a twinkle came to her eyes, and
she laughed. Smiling broadly, Bardon took her hand and tucked it back in the crook of his arm. They
walked out of the market district, through a well-kept residential area, and into the country. Hoddack s
farm was only a mile out of Norst on the road to the sea.
Less than an hour later, they bypassed the larger barn near the farmhouse and went directly to the
expansive paddock where the five young kindias still grazed.
N Rae glanced at the animals and at the sod that the angry kindia had churned up with its hooves the day
before.
 May I see the animal that did this?
 I should think it would be all right. Her name is Mig. Follow me.
The dark, cool barn smelled of hay and saddle soap. Only a faint, earthy odor of animals rose from the
clean stalls. Bardon and N Rae passed a half-dozen empty stalls before coming to the only one with an
occupant. Mig thrust her head over the door and blew a welcome through her lips.
N Rae walked up to the kindia and put her hand on the animal s cheek.  She s glad to see you.
 Me? I m the culprit who ruined her day yesterday.
 No. N Rae protested with a vigorous shake of her head. Mig objected to the flying locks of blond hair.
She backed away from the stall door.
N Rae reached toward the frightened kindia.  It s all right, girl. Come back to me. I m sorry I startled
you.
Mig stood indecisive for only a moment before sauntering back and pushing her head against the
emerlindian s hand.
 She is happy to see you. She counts you as the one who brought her in out of the cold, provided her
with fresh water and good food, and the man with strong hands, who rubs her coat. N Rae sighed.  She
is so very content.
Mig relaxed her neck, and her head hung close to N Rae s face. The emerlindian put her forehead
against the animal s broad nose.
 What are you doing? asked Bardon.
 Gathering images. She doesn t think in words, but in patterns of pictures.
 You re mindspeaking with an animal?
 You do it with Greer.
 That s different.
 Shh!
Bardon stood silently for a while, then sat on a bale of hay. Occasionally, the beast would toss her head,
but she lowered her face to N Rae s again each time. He watched the silent interchange. N Rae s
concentration fascinated him, and the kindia s apparent response to the girl amazed him. He had seen the
meech dragon, Regidor, do incredible things, and Kale had shown Bardon talents of the mind that defied
explanation. He wondered how extensive this communication was between beast and young woman. Did
it come close to what happened between Greer and him?
Once N Rae had patted Mig, told her she was a good girl, and turned away, Bardon sprang to his feet.
 What did you two talk about?
She shook her head.  We didn t talk. We just understood. N Rae raised her hands, then let them drop.
 It s too hard to explain. Let s go see the others.
 They re wild. Bardon followed her quick steps out of the barn into the paddock.  And dangerous.
 We ll see. She started toward the far side of the fenced area where one kindia grazed alone.  I think I
understand the pattern of their thoughts. I ll try to show them what Mig already knows about the inside of
the barn. They may want to join her without going through the struggle first.
 That would suit me. If it weren t for Granny Kye s medicinal tea, I d be back at the inn, stretched out
on a bed.
N Rae gestured for him to stay behind and approached the lone kindia. She stopped ten feet from where
it stood. It raised its head from grazing and stared toward the fence, refusing to look at this woman who
invaded its territory. Its ears twitched, the only signal that the kindia disliked the presence of a person.
Bardon watched N Rae s back. She seemed to be doing nothing more than breathing, a deep and slow
rhythm. In a few minutes, the beast turned and looked at her. Then it trotted to where she stood and
lowered its head, just as Mig had done in the barn. N Rae stroked its cheeks and neck with both hands. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]