"Bradley, Marion Zimmer - Hunters of the Red Moon - 1973" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bradley Marion Zimmer)

"I don't care if he's dead or not," Rianna said, "but probably no such luck; the Mekhars must know what dosage of anesthetic would work on their own kind."

"Anyway, he's breathing," Dallith said. Dane walked a step or two toward the sleeping cat-form. He was not only sleeping-he was _purring in his sleep. If it had not been so incongruous, Dane would have laughed; the great fierce Mekhar, purring like a child's pet kitten.

"Well, he'll either wake up or he won't," Dane said. "Let's hope he doesn't start his new day trying to get revenge on us for landing him here! I'm going to keep an eye on him, anyway. Meanwhile, here we are, but where's _here? Rianna, before we left the ship you acted as if you knew something about the Hunters. Suppose you tell us."

Rianna sat up, swung her bare legs over the edge of the couch, and came toward the window. The reddish light made her flame-tinged hair and sultry skin glow. She said, "Most people think they're a legend. When I was doing research I found out that they weren't. They call themselves by a name which means, simply, Hunters; and they think, of themselves, evidently, that way. They've refused to join the Unity-not that the Unity would let them in as they are, of course; but they've preferred staying outside the Unity to changing their ways."

Dallith came straight to the heart of the matter. "Why are they called Hunters? What do they hunt?"

Rianna said bluntly, "Us."

Aratak raised himself to his full height. "I had begun to suspect this. We were sold to them, then, for their hunting pleasure?"

Rianna nodded. "From all I have heard, and seen, in the libraries of the Unity-and it's not a great deal, for they have refused to let any outsiders land-hunting has become their one diversion, their one pleasure-their religion. They never stop seeking for some Prey which can give them a fair fight. For hundreds of years, I understand, they have had no dealings with anyone from off their world except for this-they will buy Quarry for their Hunts."

Dane said, watching the sleeping Mekhar out of the corner of his eye, "I had a funny feeling that it was almost too easy; that for some reason they _-wanted us to try to escape. And evidently that's how they weed out the slaves from the ones they might be able to sell to the Hunters!"

Rianna gave a mirthless little laugh. "Their test doesn't work very well, then. Brave is the one thing I'm not."

Dallith said quietly, "Perhaps what they want is not so much the _brave as the _desperate."

"This explains why they spoke of a chance for escape, then," Dane said. "But what chance is that?"

The sleeping Mekhar suddenly stretched, with a great yawn, and sprang instantly upright; when he saw the four gathered near the windows, he came into a wary crouch.

Dane tensed for attack. But the Mekhar took a step backward.

"We would not be allowed to fight here." His voice was a deep, purring rumble. "Our skill and strength now belong to the Hunters. Very well; we have been enemies, we may be enemies again. But for the moment I ask a truce."

Dane glanced at Aratak; the giant lizard-man relaxed, with something like a bow. He said, "We are, at least, companions in misfortune; a truce it shall be. If you will, I swear by the Divine Egg that so long as our truce lasts I will not harm you waking or sleeping; will you give the same oath?"

The Mekhar growled, "Oaths are for those who can envision breaking their word; I say I will not harm you without taking my word back, nor any of you who give me a like undertaking. But if there is any who will not give me that word, I will fight him-or her-here and now, with or without weapons, to death or to surrender."

Rianna and Dallith glanced at Dane. He said, "I'll speak for all of us. We're all in too much trouble to fight among ourselves. I have no quarrel with you. Your people had no right to steal any of us from our home worlds, but fighting you won't put that right. Your own people seem to have played you a dirty trick, anyway-putting you in the same category with us!"

"Don't dare to say that," the Mekhar said. "I chose to redeem my honor this way of my own free will!" His long curved fingernails, like claws, contracted and retracted with rage.

Dane said hastily, "Well, be that as it may, I won't debate points of honor with you, since you and I probably use different meanings for the word." He thought to himself that anyone whose code of honor permitted the stealing of slaves probably couldn't have a meaningful discussion with him on the subject anyway, translator or no translator. "Anyway, if you let us alone, we'll let you alone; and I speak for the women too."

The Mekhar eyed them warily, his yellow eyes narrowed to slits; then he relaxed and dropped on the floor. "Be it so; while our word runs we hold a truce. Since you are no longer slaves but have proven your courage, I accept your word as good."

Rianna said, "I know very little about the Hunters; your race evidently deals with them. Can you tell us what they're like?"

The Mekhar stretched his lips in what could have been anger or irony. "You know as much as I; they do not let themselves be seen by outsiders," he said. "The Hunter is seen only by the Quarry he is about to kill."

Rianna shivered. Dallith came close to Dane and slipped her hand into his. Even Aratak seemed momentarily taken aback. "Does that mean they're _invisible?"

"Visible or invisible, I know not," said the Mekhar. "I know only that no one I know of has seen one, and lived to tell."