Bloody Revenge

by Darrell Guidry

  will be but only and on the place to stick out was absolutely to anything. Zuyko not

  released a dedov of a raincoat and sat having buried a face to it in a back, shoulders

  the boy shuddered, my Lord, the Master Grozy, mentally appealed

  Wolfhound. Whether it is possible that your protection is unworthy

  even boy?. Protect these people, the Owner Gromov, and with me a gait

  as I deserved. Perhaps you for the sake of this day kept me at the Obstacle?.

  I am ready, My God. I am ready...

  Horses carried them further, the young dog, and Niilit was afraid near hoofs

  asked Evrikh:

  - Who solves, the person is worthy or is not worthy? Arrant reluctantly

  answered:

  - Uneducated minds saw Gatekeepers there earlier... Whether

  junior Gods, whether powerful light souls... Now our scientists

  in total compare the Gate to an ordinary door or to a crack more often in

  to wall. Penetration there, in their opinion, is defined by properties most

  person. One person, they say, will get into a narrow crack without effort,

  another will get stuck.

  The wolfhound remembered terrible Lyudoyedov the cellar and a secret door, at once for

  which his bones nearly remained to decay.

  - Scientists disagree, - having a little inspired, continued

  Evrikh, - that defines destiny of the person who approached the Gate.

  The majority claims that, so to speak, the crack should recognize width

  for all identical. But some insist on as if Gods Heavenly

  Mountains every time create special court...

  ... And here the Wolfhound at last comprehended meaning of the prevention that

  the Hostess Sudeb granted to it then in the spring. There are doors and Doors, understood

  veins. Yes. Now its terrestrial way really came to the end.

  The place on light where it is possible to build the house, and the man, leaving it, not

  will begin to be afraid that in its absence the house will be robbed and will burned by enemies. Where

  the beautiful girl, having met in the wood the unfamiliar man, without anything

  fear speaks to it "hi". Where apple-trees blossom and raspberry where ripens

  century pine forest rustles, and ice streams with a crystal ring run with

  rocks...

  And that for a trouble if I never see it. Now I though know that

  such place is. There is a country about which mine long since composes legends

  people. And it can be reached really wise and fair. And time so,

  that is not a pity and to die on a threshold of this country...

  The wolfhound approached Tilorn and asked it:

  - What did the Cannibal try to obtain from you?

  The scientist who was not expecting a question delayed for half-moments longer, than

  followed. The wolfhound saw doubt in his eyes - whether costs supposedly

  to speak. Venn slapped Tilornov of a horse a palm up to grain, having grumbled:

  - I will do and without your secrets.

  - I... - it is shamed there began Tilorn. The wolfhound interrupted:

  - I told, I will manage!

  Still the day before he, perhaps, strong would take offense at Tilorn. Another matter,

  the day before he would not begin and to ask.

  Now he did not feel any offense. Just finally found out,

  that in this Door there was no hidden mechanism which would cost for the sake of it

  to start. Because Tilorn, as well as Evrikh, considered him unworthy. Also was

  it is right, probably. And however, even it had no value any more.

  Meanwhile Mysh who again settled to have a sleep at him under a fur raincoat

  pricked up the ears, flushed, it was thrown back, towards the city, then

  returned, hung over the head of Serk and began to squeal, trembling in air

  wings. The wolfhound listened and after a while heard the same,

  as sensitive small animal. There, far, the dogs let on their trace barked.

  The trace was clearly visible, nothing was necessary to try to discover; simply

  someone wanted that the rack stopped fugitives, and it will turn out, and

  dropped in snow. That it was not necessary to hurry, chasing a game.

  Lots stretched to a knife again...

  - We will banish dogs! - gave a vote of Niilit. - And horses!

  - Dogs, - the Wolfhound indisputably declared, - I will be engaged. Jump, I

  I will catch up.

  They marked time, listening to muster of quickly coming nearer

  rack.

  - Told, jump! - the Wolfhound bellowed. And so it at it turned out,

  that horses pressed ears and porsknul from the place. The young dog was late was,

  looking a vein in eyes. But too felt the order of the Leader and at full speed

  rushed off after horses.

  Listening furious, with podvyvy, barking, Serko worried and danced.

  Stone confidence of the horseman nevertheless forced it to calm down gradually.

  The wolfhound dismounted and began to wait.

  Soon enough he distinguished about ten bright on the foggy plain

  double sparks. Night darkness was transparent for his eyes, and it

  saw a dense shadow behind each couple of sparks. They jumped up

  separately, as if floats on waves, and promptly came nearer.

  Lean, tripping, terrible solvennsky wolfhounds. They hardly

  conceded Vienna ferocity and speed, only were much

  brekhlivy. They were filled in with blood-thirsty mad bark also now. Fierce

  creatures to which was all the same whom to tear. They were not able to think. For them

  people thought of everything.

  The wolfhound waited, standing silently and not movably.

  Dogs at last saw it, and bark merged in some hoarse plaint.

  They were ready to jump out of a skin, only to appear in time to it

  somewhat quicker. Everyone was torn by the first to fly up to his throat. The burning eyes,

  the canines poured by foam...

  But then...

  Their noses were smelled ahead of the PERSON. And at it - the scared horse and

  the flying little small animal sitting at the person on the head. Their eyes

  surely reported to them about the same. But here minds... scanty minds of police dogs

  stubborn saw ahead of the GREAT LEADER. Disobedience to which would become

  really indelible shame for all pesy sort.

  The rack began to slow down run in indecision. Then at all

  stopped. Dogs did not understand how to be. On the person, even

  armed, they would rush without thoughts. But The fact that stood now

  before them, some inexplicably was also the Dog. And in it

  presence there was a wish to whine and creep on a belly.

  "Cat's spawn! - the striking anger of the Leader lashed pack. - Mangy

  bare small dogs! Yes as dared?."

  Of course, the Wolfhound told them it without words. Dogs heard only

  offensive roar, low, terrible, ominous. And it is faultless

  felt behind it terrible force.

  All doubts came to an end! Leader of pack, huge black dog

  with the ears which are broken off in fights, dropped to snow and low crept up to

  To wolfhound on a belly. He felt like the insignificant puppy ready

  to obmochitsya for horror.

  Having bent down, veins took it by the scruff, raised above the ground and

  properly stirred up. The dog rolled up paws, thinly and plaintively asking about

  to mercy. To Ottrepat it thus was in power unless to the highest

  to being.

  From this point the rack was finally
ready to do everything that

  the Great Leader will order it. Want the Wolfhound, he, probably, could throw

  dogs even against persecutors. But he did not want. For dogs it was

  crash of the world not smaller, than infringement of the Leader. Wolfhound not

  began to doom to it four-footed relatives. It would be too cruel.

  People among themselves did not get on, to people and to understand.

  When to the place of their meeting the pursuit reached, solvenna did not understand,

  where dogs got lost. On snow there was no blood, was not similar,

  that there was a fight. Other of Luchezarovichey just in case

  grabbed charms: if to trust traces, it turned out that the person and

  dogs stood against each other and... talked. Then person as

  in what did not happen got onto a horse and went further, and rack, having given up a pursuit,

  directed in other party. In the near wood - and to one Gods it is conducted where

  further.

  - This is Tilorn! - Kanaon heading a pursuit began to roar. - Long ago it is time

  was to burn the sorcerer!

  - Let's burn, - Plishka nodded. - And over the witch at first properly

  let's have fun.

  More skilled in reading traces, however, noticed that the person,

  speaking with dogs, it seems protected the right hand.

  - Venn?. - Plishka was surprised, and Kanaon grumbled, beginning vaguely

  to guess:

  - Perhaps not for nothing call his Wolfhound?. Adolescents from among going in

  Velimor confirmed that dogs on a vein never barked. Even very much

  angry and absolutely unfamiliar. Plishka with laughter promised Kanaon:

  - If you and on swords do not overcome it now, I, well, to you

  I will help.

  In several fields from them the Wolfhound, working with one hand and teeth,

  slowly and carefully svivat a loop from a thong. From this, on which

  carried a bead. This loop it will tie a sword when the time comes to a hand

  to meet a pursuit. A flowing hair quilted it on shoulders.

  At the Foggiest Scala Volcodav never happened, but knew that it is expensive

  there conducted on the seashore. At first it lasted along a narrow strip

  sand between a surf and clay coastal breaks, then began

  to clamber to rocks. There and it was not really simple to pass in the summer. And

  drop out to snow though a little more,

  Foggy Scala would become at all is inaccessible. At least, for

  horse.

  The recent storm shook a wave in the sea. The ripple with a roar was rolled on

  the pebble beach, and in bottlenecks the hissing foam moistened hoofs of a stallion.

  The last storm came from the northwest party: heavy ridges of waves

  gradually strode just there where rocky coast of the gulf closely

  moved, coming to an end with the deadlock at the foot of the Foggy Rock. Even against

  winds far carried thunder was heard. The wolfhound involuntarily thought,

  what will climb upward on the ice-covered track hanging has to be,

  directly over the roaring underworld, and heart at it missed a bit. Fine everything

  the others, but here old Varokh?. Veins strongly suspected that two

  healers slowly worked on lameness of the old man. However outdoors

  сегван still used a crutch.

  The wolfhound very much hoped that his friends overcame at least a part

  tracks, but saw that was mistaken, and angrily swore in a low voice. They waited for it

  at the beginning of rise though he distinctly ordered not to wait them. They it is confused

  crowded a small group, holding horses by the bridle, and it is disturbing peered in

  darkness. What, interestingly, they would begin to do if instead of the Wolfhound

  because of turn of the coast on them the pursuit took off?.

  Veins dismounted and at once shortly ordered:

  - Forward.

  - And what dogs?. - shy asked Niilit.

  - Dogs, - he grumbled, - escaped and will not return.

  Evrikh to whom got to go on the former Luchezarovy black,

  delightfully looked back:

  - The friend the barbarian, really you managed to foul the trail?.

  To snap now at the barbarian would be already full childishness. But also

  the Wolfhound was not going to amuse idle curiosity of an arrant.

  - Perhaps also managed, - he muttered unfriendly. - Conduct give,

  righteous person.

  At Evrikh suddenly began to tremble lips. He asked, nearly crying:

  - You now until the end of days will tease me with the righteous person?.

  The wolfhound moved with a healthy shoulder and answered:

  - No, probably.

  Well they would be expected ahead, these days. And there they with

  The God's help would understand whom how to call.

  The track upward truly was narrow and in addition in places iced over so,

  that fugitives did not decide to go astride. The first, conducting black, moved

  Evrikh. Mysh rose over the heads, departed to reconnoiter that there pretty

  ahead. For Evrikh also the grandfather, then Niilit and Tilorn moved granddaughters.

  The wolfhound charged Tilorna Serk:

  - To me with one hand...

  Actually he just wanted to go the latest. To the Foggy Rock

  it was still remote, and he expected that he will not do without fight.

  The wise man took from him an occasion and resolutely began:

  - I want to tell you, the Wolfhound...

  - Then you will tell, - the Wolfhound interrupted. - At Evrikh on pancakes.

  And slightly pushed the scientist in a back that that in vain did not delay.

  If to go on a track up, then the rock was at the left, and break - on the right, and

  it pleased. Quite good advantage to the lefthander. To find still convenient

  the town is higher on a slope, somewhere where from a casual look down

  it becomes cold in a stomach. If not to detain Luchezarovichey, Evrikh and

  the others just will not reach the Gate. Will not be in time. And righteousness

  righteousness, but what there was ground by the arrant who read books,

  The wolfhound did not see still a door which could not be broken out. And that

  it will turn out if the villain tries to slip in the kind world, having caught

  by a hand of the good person?. It was not known, probably, even by Evrikh, not that

  that Wolfhound. And if the Wolfhound did not know something for certain, he had to

  to track personally.

  As at the Obstacle.

  Here only to the Obstacle at the latest moment after all appeared in time

  Vinitar. Here nobody will appear in time. Including heroes Right. Even

  if that is told and it truly will send them...

  The wolfhound pulled a nose air, was convinced that he will begin to dawn soon, and

  got up a track. The cold Mysh returned, caught claws a jacket

  also got into heat. It appeared not easy: the hand tied to a body disturbed.

  And the Wolfhound took off a fur raincoat and hung up on Serk's saddle.

  - Now, - told veins. Stopped and the left hand delayed a collar.

  The small animal whisked for a bosom now and blissfully curled up inside. What I

  without you did, the Wolfhound thought. Smiled and went further.

  The track curled up, following bends of a stone slope and becoming that already,

  that is wider. Sometimes it turned into gorges, and then a roar of sea waves

  became more deafly, but between rocks the fancy echo began to walk,

  forcing an unremitt
ing setup to cry and talk almost

  by human voices. Listen more attentively and you will sort about what

  speak. The wolfhound tried to imagine what was in silent here

  days when the sea barely audible grumbled below. Horribly, probably. Therefore

  that then on gorges thousands of ghosts for certain whispered. Yes.

  Nothing surprising if reasonable galiradets long since were afraid

  strange place. Without saying about what here and people, tell,

  vanished. Now it is clear where they left.

  ... And if it the unknown creators of the Gate wishing tried

  to take away unworthy or movable by empty curiosity?. How many

  the Wolfhound looked, he could not find on a track of traces of work

  human hands. But hardly wind and water would pierce it in rocks

  the flat course which was purposefully rising from the sandy coast to

  foot of the Foggy Rock. And however...

  In other places the road turned into narrow eaves again and hanged

  over a chasm. Below, it is far under legs, faced in terrible dancing,

  devoured and overturned each other giant water shaft. To

  the opposite coast it was possible to throw an arrow. Even from segvansky

  the onions which are deservedly despised by tribes of the real shooters. In what was

  business - in sudden narrowness of the gulf or in some features of a bottom, - but

  only waves rose on terrible height here. The wolfhound put was

  to itself to ask Tilorn. Then grinned to own thoughts.

  In the birch bark book which he still everywhere dragged with himself,

  there was unread the one and only page.

  The last.

  For many centuries the sea gnawed the real copper under the Foggy Rock.

  Waves rushed into it, pressing the friend on the friend, and so collapsed on

  smooth granite walls that splashes and foam sometimes reached a track. In the winter,

  probably, icicles froze unimaginable beards here. Ocean

  violently broke in sushi, and sometimes under its pressure all mass of water, not

  finding an exit from the stone deadlock, it began to be shaken hard

  back and forth. The sea threateningly bubbled and moved back so that over

  tops of the flooded rocks acted as the reared surface. Then

  outside the water mountain began to swell. It grew and grew, then

  it was thrown up by the curling crest and at last collapsed forward. Here