"Julia Gray - Guardian 04 - The Red Glacier" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gray Julia)

Terrel's healing abilities were something he accepted now, though he never
took them for granted. He had paid for his passage on the Skua by helping the
ship's first officer make a speedy and complete recovery from a nasty fever.
In return, Ostan, the captain, had been only too willing to take him aboard —
one extra passenger cost him very little — and, since then, most of the crew
had benefited in some way from Terrel's skill.
'So have you decided which side you'll work for?' Kahl asked.
'Side?' Terrel queried. 'In the war.'
The healer had heard several rumours about Myvatan, including one claiming
that the island had been in the throes of civil war for many years. However,
few people had been either able or willing to talk about the place at all, so
he'd remained in ignorance for the most part. His decision to go there had
been made in a rush. Sailings were rare, especially this early in the year,
and Ostan's offer had been dependent on his being able to leave immediately.
'Neither,' Terrel answered eventually.
Kahl laughed.
'You'd better make up your mind one way or the other before we dock,' he
advised. 'Say the wrong thing in the wrong quarter and you're dead.'
Terrel looked at him in dismay.
'I've no interest in the war,' he said.
'Then what are you going to Myvatan for?' the sailor asked. 'Apart from gold,
the war is all they have.'
Now I know cats are mad, a familiar voice complained. This one hates water as
much as I do, but it's chosen to live on a ship!
Alyssa! Terrel exclaimed, sliding out of his hammock to kneel in front of her.
He had been aware of the cat's presence earlier in the voyage. The crew called
it Dranga, which meant rat-trap, and it usually prowled the lower decks in
search of prey. The animal's face was heavily scarred, one of its ears was
torn and its left foreleg was slightly lame, but its ginger coat was glossy,
testament to its success as a hunter. Until now it had paid Terrel little
attention, and he'd been surprised when it had stalked up to his sleeping
place that evening. But not even in his wildest imaginings had he thought that
Alyssa's spirit might have taken over the cat's body. Not only did she dislike
the devious nature of feline minds — of all the other animals she had tried,
horses were the only creatures she found as difficult — but, as her opening
remark had implied, she disliked large bodies of water even more. In the past,
the mere fact that Terrel had crossed an ocean had prevented her from joining
him for some time, even after he was back on dry land. And when he was
actually on water, there had been no chance of proper contact. And yet here
she was, inhabiting a cat, in the middle of a vast and dangerous sea.
I didn 't expect to see you so soon. Even though Terrel's delight at her
arrival was as great as ever, he was perturbed by the fact that she had forced
herself to overcome her fears. What was so important that she could not afford
to wait a few days?
I was never meant— Alyssa began, then broke off as the ship shuddered under
the impact of an unusually large wave. The cat staggered, its mismatched ears
twitching, and its fur stood on end. Hissing, it dug its claws into the deck —
and Terrel saw the 'ring' looped around one of its forepaws. The ring was made
of twine interwoven with one of his own hairs, and although at first Alyssa
had