"David Eddings - The Dreamers 02 - The Treasured One" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

‘Anyway,’ Ashad continued, ‘there were outlanders there, and they were fighting
the nasty things just like they did in Balacenia’s Domain, but then things got very
confusing. A whole lot of other outlanders came up across Mother Sea from the
South, but it didn’t seem like they were interested in the war very much, because they
spent all their time talking to the farmers about somebody called Amar. The ones who
were doing all the talking were wearing black robes, but there were some others who
wore red clothes, and they were pushing the farmers around and making them listen
while the ones in black talked. That went on for quite a while, and then the outlanders
in the South got all excited, and they started to run north toward a great big waterfall,
and the other outlanders - the ones who got there first - sort of got out of their way for
while, and then when everybody got to that waterfall, it looked to me like everybody
was trying to kill everybody else, and no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t
understand exactly what was going on.’
 ‘I’ve heard that dreams are like that, Ashad. I don’t need to sleep, so I don’t really
know what dreams are all about.’ I hesitated. ‘Where did you find that shiny black
rock?’ I asked, more to change the subject than out of any real curiosity.

‘It was in the back of the cave where Mama Broken-Tooth sleeps in the winter,’
Ashad replied. ‘She had three cubs while she was sleeping this past winter, and while
you were busy helping your sister Zelana, I went to her cave to see them. They’re sort
of the brothers of me and Long-Claw, aren’t they? I mean, Mama Broken-Tooth
nursed me and Long-Claw when we were just cubs, and now she’s nursing the three
new ones. That sort of makes us relatives of some kind, doesn’t it?’

‘I suppose so, yes.’

‘Anyway, the three new cubs were making those funny little sounds bear-cubs
always make when they’re nursing, and Mama Broken-Tooth was cuddling them like
she used to cuddle Long-Claw and me when we were just cubs.’ He picked up the
shiny stone. ‘This is an agate, isn’t it?’ he asked, holding it out to me.

I took the stone, but almost dropped it when I sensed the enormous power
emanating from it. ‘I think you’re right, Ashad. Black agates are very rare, though.’

‘It’s pretty, and I really liked it when I first saw it. I asked Mama Broken-Tooth if
I could have it, and she told me to go ahead and take it. I used to carry it with me
wherever I went, but then I mislaid it, I guess, but when I woke up this morning, there
it was right in my bed with me. Isn’t that odd?’

I laughed. ‘I think this might just be the year of “odd”, Ashad,’ I said. ‘It seems
like every time I turn around there are piles and piles of “odd” staring me in the face.
How did the rest of your bears come through this past winter?’

‘Just fine, uncle,’ Ashad replied. ‘There are lots and lots of new cubs.’ He
suddenly grinned broadly, shaking off his gloomy expression. ‘Baby bears are so
much fun. They do all sorts of funny things that make their mothers terribly grouchy.
Just last week Mama Broken-Tooth was scooping fish out of a stream - you know,
throwing them up on the riverbank the way bears always do - but her three cubs
thought she was playing, so they were swatting the fish back into the stream. When
she saw what they were doing, she came running out of the water, gave them a few