"Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon - Mage Wars 01 - The Black Gryphon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

the range to Aubri and the "safe" ceiling she had flown at already without triggering traps, then took wing,
the loose end of the rope clutched tightly in her hind claws.
Magical gryphon-traps are triggered by something living flying over their kill range, but not
always. Can sometimes be triggered by anything—have to go high!
Zhaneel circled up, straining only for altitude—and it was work, hard work because the higher she
went, the heavier the burden of the rope became. Finally there was a shudder as the bundles of foliage
lifted. She angled away from the still-perplexed Aubri, carrying the rope higher and higher until the
bundles below were above what she had determined to be safe. Then, she turned her struggle for altitude
into an exhausting dive from the far side of the clearing, toward the tied branches. She judged,
hoped—and let go.
The bunches of foliage sailed down, heading directly for the hapless Aubri. Behind them, the rope
coiled and twisted wildly, gaining on the clusters of branches that had more wind resistance than the rope.
While Zhaneel surged back up into the sky, the green leaves and twigs struck Aubri's wings and back. It
was surely uncomfortable, but easily less painful than anything a makaar would have done to a captive
gryphon. Amid indignant curses from the "captive," the rope fell in a snaky line across the clearing. As
hoped, no traps triggered immediately from the rope's impact.
Next trick.
She landed and collected her thoughts, taking deep breaths. Aubri glared at her indignantly, but
voiced no ill thoughts toward his "rescuer" for the moment. She waved a reassurance to him, looped the
rope around the fork of the branch-affair she'd made earlier, and tied it off.
Several heartbeats later, she was in the air again, with two stripped branches clipped to the back of
her harness. She followed the air path she knew was safe and dropped straight down to land next to
Aubri.
"I assume you have a good reason for pelting me with salad?" he rumbled.
"I'm sorry. But I have a plan to get you out safely. Hold this..." she muttered while unclipping the
branches from her back. "They scratch—! There. Now. Lie sideways and curl up. Hold these sticks up,
one in hindclaws, one in foreclaws. So both are that way." She indicated the direction the rope lay. "Be
patient."
Aubri sighed. "Where would I go? My life is yours."
Zhaneel pulled the wire mesh until it faced as Aubri did, and used two more ties to anchor it to the
two sticks. Then understanding dawned in Aubri's eyes as she fastened the foliage bundles to the net.
"A shield."
"Yes. Not a big one, but could help us." She smiled and nibbled his crest reassuringly. "Now, let me
down there in the hollow of your belly, where the rope goes under the net."
Aubri complied, fascinated. After settling herself in, Zhaneel reeled the rope in claw-over-claw until
the heavy branches tied to the other end ground their way toward the two gryphons.
"Searching for ground traps," Zhaneel muttered. "If one goes, hold tight to the sticks! Let me protect
your belly." Only makes sense—he can't fly, so I am as good as ground-bound. If I can shield him
from a fatal injury by taking an injury myself, we will still both be alive to return home.
A deep thudding sounded, like a massive crossbow cord releasing, and a hail of stones showered
much of the clearing. Both gryphons squinted their eyes while pebbles struck the greenery protecting
them, then resumed pulling. Two ground panels lurched open and drove stakes into the ground nearby. A
few minutes later, Zhaneel could reach out and grasp the quarry herself.
Last trick.
She patiently explained to Aubri what she was doing as she worked and allowed herself a moment
of satisfaction when she was done. The crowd watching had approved of the way she'd triggered the
ground traps. They waited, enraptured, wondering what she would do next. Zhaneel knew they saw her
raise the canopy she had just finished, made of wire net, foliage and branches, above Aubri.
"You must hold this steady, understand? Must!"
Aubri nodded. "Y'got me this far, skydancer."